little rivulet which here ripples itself into the main stream. Two of the party are already at the place of rendezvous, earnestly discussing the events of the morning, and giving an occasional salute to the third, who is detained below with a salmon (only a six-pounder, as it is afterwards found), which has held him in check for the last half-hour. He approaches at last, however, bearing his prize across his shoulder,—a trophy more valued by him than any ever gained by valiant knight in bloody fray; and the conversation is instantly of a most animated description. Soon, however, there is a general turn out of pockets, and a spread is laid upon the turf of sandwiches, cold fowl, and so forth, together with "pocketpistols" duly charged, and one of the party gathers in the rivulet aforesaid a heap of water cress, green and fresh, and very tempting to behold. So they seat themselves forthwith, and do justice to the viands in the way that anglers understand so well, for they eat with "Spartan

And now they have time to look about them, and to admire the beauties of Nature by which they are surrounded. The trees have lately burst into leaf; the flowers of various hues are springing up around them everywhere, scenting the air

with their perfume; and the music of the birds, and the hum of insects, mingle with the bubblings of the stream which flows rejoicingly at their feet. Upwards, their view ranges through the treefilled valley, catching glimpses of the shining stream, and here and there of the gable of some snugly nestled farmhouse, from the chimneys of which those "windpipes of hospitality"- the blue smoke wreathes so gracefully; and also of old village towers, among their clusters of thatched cottages. Ranging still wider, over fields of every hue, and away among the undulating hills, is their own distant town, thrown prominently out by a gleam of sunshine which now happens to rest upon its slated roofs. Parallel to this, on the opposite hill-side, are seen other objects which add a charm to the landscape-some 'squire's seat, perhaps, surrounded by its park and groves; and, far beyond, is the extreme distance, where the hills look blue and undefined, and seem to melt into the cloudy sky. At their back, on the highest point of the range of hills which bounds the valley in that direction, are the remains of an ancient British fortification, which furnish them with matter for instructive conversation about remote and savage times. On the slope between them and this old fortress

is a pleasant village, in which a white, flaunting "great-house" is sufficiently conspicuous to assure them of its modern date. This they naturally contrast with the architecture of a more medieval age, of which the remains of an interesting specimen are visible at their right. Opposite them is an opening in the hills, half shrouded by elms and by another pleasant village embosomed in orchards, at the mouth of a little green and wooded comb which hides itself snugly in the windings of the hills behind, where a limpid streamlet trickles. Downwards, the valley greatly widens, for scarcely a league below them is the pebbly strand on which the rolling waves are tossed by the southern breeze which plays so balmily.

"God made the country and man made the town!" they are in the act of exclaiming, when their admiration is abruptly interrupted by the rapid "yap, yap!" of "Tip," who, with her companion, has for some time been industriously

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trying" the wooded rivulet. Our anglers hasten to the spot whence the sounds proceed, and a hunt ensues, which terminates in the death of a moorhen, admirably "found" by the canine favourites, and perhaps half frightened into their jaws by the almost frantic shoutings of the bipeds.

But " revenons à nous moutons" is at length the word; and the trio, after arranging for the final "wind-up," resume their rods, and fall to fishing down the stream.

*

*

It is evening. The sun, before bidding adieu for the night, and as if to compensate in some measure for hiding himself during the day, peeped from under his nubial canopy just as he touched the western hill, and lighting up the heavens with a crimson glow, like mingled gold and roses, sank gently down to "ope the gates of day" in another hemisphere, leaving the glorious traces of his departure to mingle with the twilight here. Our angling friends have at last suspended operations. Their rods and tackle are soon snugly packed. The return of killed and basketed has been duly made, and amounts, in the aggregate, to the small salmon aforesaid, two brace of peel (certainly not in the finest season), two and thirty trout, and a dace. Of course they are delighted with the day's adventures, and a consultation is forthwith held, which results in the adjournment to a neighbouring hostelrie which stands in high repute with all the local craftsmen, the landlord being a "brother of the angle." As they are at least four miles from home, and have had a hard day's fag, the strengthening and re

freshing of "the inner man," with steaks and accompaniments, is decided on and at once commenced. Two or three other craftsmen also happen in for the same laudable purpose. And here we leave the happy party to their evening's enjoyment. Each one, we may be sure, relates his day's exploits; and, when this is over, old tales are pretty sure to be told, and old times thus brought to mind; till, by and by, the " minstrel” of the party strikes up a song, which after a while goes duly round, or else, as Walton hath it, "some harmless sport is found to content them;" and thus they "pass away a little time without offence to God, or injury to man."